EESI Submits Public Comments Regarding the Role of Geothermal Energy 
in the Department of Energy (DOE) Draft Strategic Plan 2006

Dear Secretary Bodman:

We applaud your opening message that “Diversification of energy supply toward alternate sources can greatly relieve pressures on markets for conventional energy sources over time while helping to cope with growing environmental concerns.”

We note that under Strategic Theme #1 the draft Strategic Plan outlines DOE’s commitment to energy security, diversity, and efficiency through the “development of economically competitive fuels and technologies, including bold new initiatives in nuclear, coal, and renewables, such as, biomass, wind, and solar energy [italics added].” 

We strongly agree with the inclusion of a wide spectrum of renewable energy resources and energy efficiency technologies in meeting the goals of this theme. However, while renewable resources such as hydropower, solar, biomass, and wind are mentioned by name in the Strategic Plan, geothermal energy resources are notably omitted. We hope that was simply an oversight.

As you know, geothermal energy currently supplies clean renewable energy in many Western states. We wish to comment that energy recovery from enhanced/engineered geothermal systems (EGS) can play a significant role in providing clean renewable energy to the many states across the nation. In the Spring of 2006 our organization, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), responded to a request from DOE’s Office of Geothermal Technology to provide a technical review of a 321-page draft Final Report authored by MIT and sponsored by DOE entitled “Enhanced/Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS): Assessment of Impact for the U.S. by 2050.”

Our review of this emerging geothermal technology indicates that EGS can provide on the order of 100,000 MWe of baseload power across the United States by 2050. This power comes from thermal resources located in nearly all 50 U.S. states at depths of 3.5-10 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. The MIT study estimates that EGS could begin to come on-line in 10-15 years, provided that DOE continues to support geothermal energy RDD&C at the federal level, and allocates additional funds to develop EGS. The total extractable EGS resource base in the United States is estimated at a number of orders of magnitude greater than current U.S. primary energy consumption. The Western Governors’ Association has recognized the value and need of developing this valuable baseload resource in their projections of a diversified, strategic energy plan.

We submit that conventional and enhanced/engineered geothermal energy have a significant role to play in meeting DOE’s Strategic Theme #1. However, this potential will only be realized if DOE continues funding for geothermal energy at the federal level, and requests funds for the development of advanced geothermal energy technologies such as EGS. To not vigorously pursue improved ways of developing and producing our geothermal resources would be a huge missed opportunity and disservice to our national efforts to secure a clean, reliable and diverse energy supply. It would prevent us from ever seeing what geothermal and the whole family of renewable energy resources and technologies truly can do.

We support DOE’s inclusion of plug-in hybrid vehicles and development and implementation of energy efficient technologies across all sectors. Strong efficiency gains in every sector are critical in allowing renewable energy resources to provide an essential and much larger fraction of primary energy. The United States never has tried to see how much energy we can provide through aggressive utilization of highly efficient energy technologies and our abundant base of clean low- or no-carbon renewable energy resources. The benefits of these technologies speak directly to DOE Strategic Theme #1 in terms of enhancing energy security, reducing the balance of trade for imported energy resources, keeping American jobs in America, promoting a healthy economy, and improving human and environmental health. We are happy to talk with you further on how to achieve these goals. Now is the time to get it right, as we cannot afford the costs of getting it wrong.

Sincerely,

Carol Werner                                            Fredric Beck
Carol Werner                                                 Fredric Beck
Executive Director                                          Senior Policy Associate
Environmental & Energy Study Institute           Environmental & Energy Study Institute

###

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is a non-profit organization that works at the nexus of policy and innovation to promote environmentally sustainable societies.  EESI was founded in 1984 by a bipartisan group of Congressional Members dedicated to finding environmental and energy solutions.  EESI provides credible, timely information and innovative policy ideas through coalition building, media outreach, publications, briefings, workshops and task forces on the issues of energy efficiency and renewable energy, transportation, smart growth, agriculture and global climate change.  Carol Werner leads the EESI team as executive director.